Blank-feeding mechanism for can-doby machines.



W. J. PHELPS.

BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CAN BODY MACHINES.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913 8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION-FILED SBPT.17, 1909.

. PHELPS.

M FOR CAN BODY MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.17, 1909. v

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 W. J. PHELPS.

BLANK FEEDING-MECHANISM FOR CAN BODY MACHINES.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 17. 1909.

Patented-Apr. 8, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WALTER J. PHELPS, or .BALTEMQRE, MARYLAND.

BLANK-FEEDING MECHANISM macaw-Bony MacHmEs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 17, 1909. ser1a1.1vo.- 51e,21e.

To all whom 2'25 may concern.

Be it known that I, WALTER J. PHELPs, a citizen-of the United States,residing at Baltimoie city, State of Maryland, have invented a new anduseful Blank-Feeding Mechanism for Can-Body Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to feeding mechanism designed more especially foruse in feeding sheet metal blanks successively to a can body machine,although it is not necessarily limited to this use. I

The invention has for one of its objects to provide a blank feedingmechanism in which the lower or outermost blank is segregated from thepile in the blank holder by initially flexing the ends of the blankoutwardly from the juxtaposed blank so as to enable an ejecting deviceto engage such outwardly flexed ends to discharge the blank from theholder. To accomplish the flexing of the ends of the outermost blank,any suitable means capable of producing attractive force may beemployed, such for instance, as magnets or'suction devices.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism orthis character which is of comparatively simple and inexpensiveconstruction, reliable and etlicient in use, adjustable for blanks ofdifferent sizes, and capable of ejecting blanks in rapid succcssion.

lVith these objects in view and others, as will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel featuresof construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fullydescribed hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claimsappended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of theinvention, Figure l is a front View of the blank-feeding apparatus shownattached to a body-torming machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection of the blank-feeding attachment. Fig. 3 is a view of thedeliveryend of the attachment. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line e4, Fig.2. Fig. 5 is an cnlanged sectional view on line 5-5, Fig. 1. Figffi is aperspective view of the blank flexing or bending device and blankejector. the outermost blank being shown partially ejected. Fig. 7 is asectional view of one oft-he side members-of the blank holder or chuteSimilar referencev characters are employed to designate correspondingparts thIGIlglI OUt the views. r q

Referring to the drawings A designatesa portion of a body-formingmachine of any approved character, on the blank-receiving end of whichis mounted the feeding attach ment designated generally by B, which hasPatented Apr. 8, 1913.

its operating parts connected in any suitable manner with the driveshaft or some moving part ofthe body-formlng machine so as to be driventhereby. lVhile I prefer to show the attachment applied to a can-formingmachine, it is to be understood that it may be used with other machineswhere blanks are to be successively ted thereto.

In the present instance, the attaclnnent'is designed to hold a pile ofblanks in such a manner as to feed by gravity to e sition so as to avoidthe use of a 1 device. The attachment comprises a base or supportingframe 1 which is bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the table oithe machine A. This frame 1 supports ablank holder which is composed ofside members 4 that have dove-tail projections 5 engaging incorrespondingly-shaped grooves 6 in the base frame 1, so that. the sidemembers can be moved toward or away from each other for changing thewidth of the holder, according to thekleugth of the blanks. These sidemembers have inwardly-extending bottom flanges 7 which constitute abottom support on which the blanks slidably rest. The holder constitutesa supporting surface for sustaining the pile of blanks which are held bytheirweight fiat against each other in a position normal to saidsurface. The sine members can be adjusted and held in fixed position inanysuitahlc manner, as for instance, by a right and left hand screw 8which is rotatably mounted at its center in a bearing 9 on a cross bar10 and has its threaded portions engaged in depending lugs 11 on theside members of tlie plate holder or chute, the ends 19 of the screwbeing non-circular for receiving an operating crank or key, whereby thescrew can he turned. It will thus be seen that the turning of the screwwill move the side members toward or away from each other to alter thewidth of the holder. i

.Thepile of blanks is prevented from sliding. out-of the lower end of;the holder by a;

suitable fixed abutment so arranged as to engage the middle portion ofthe lower or outermost blank of the pile to thus permitadjustablysupporting the rest-raining fingers 13. These brackets carry L-shapedconnecting members '15 which are adjustable inwardly 0r OUtWaIdly QIL tl1 brackets 14 by bolts 16 on the latter passing through slots 17 in themembers 15. Therestraining fingers 13 are ad'ustable on the members 15,longitudinally o the pile of blanks by bolts 18 on the members 15passing through slots 19 in the upper laterally-bent portions of thefingers. By this means, the fingers can be moved inwardly or outwardlyto engage the outermost blank at the most desirable points from the endsof the blank to afford the best flexing or bending action, thisadj-ustment being provided by the slot and bolt connections between thebrackets 14 and members 15. The fingers can be also adjusted inwardly oroutwardly in adirection longitudinally of the blank holder, according tothe thickness of the blanks, to permit but one blank at a time to passoff the lower ends of the blank supporting webs 7 of the blank holder.By supporting the blanks in this manner, the outermost one is capable ofbeing readily removed from the pile by successively acting suction orattractive devices and ejecting means, the said devices serving to flexthe ends of the outermost blank away from the pile to permit the ejectorto engage the ends and move the blank edgewise irom the pile. In thepresentinstance, the devices for flexing the ends of ,the blank areshown as permanent magnets 19 supported in front of the lowermost blankof the pile in fixed relation to the side members of the blank holder soas to be adjustable back and forth therewith in changing the width ofthe holder, this manner of supporting the magnets being accomplished byoutwardlycxtending brackets 20 fastened to the magnets and to the sidemembers of the blank holder or chute. The pole faces of the magnets aresuitably spaced from the outer face ofthe lowermost blank at such adistance as to remove the attracted ends of the blank from the adjacentsuperimposed blank of l'he pile to permitthe ejecting means to engagethe top edge of the flexed ends of the blank, as clearly shown in Fig.6. It has been found, in practice, that magnets employed in this mannerwill attract but a On the operation differs from that wherein theoutermost blank is bodily removed from the pile, in which case the airpockets or the like betweenthecontacting plates causes the same toadhere together. With the present device, if, for any reason, the secondblank should adhere to the outermost blank during the fiexion of itsends, the adhesion would be of short duration and only durin the firstpart of the bending of the outer b ank, because the relativelongitudinal or sliding movement of the blanks destroys the adhesion,this relative longitudinal movement being caused by the bending of theblanks about a common point, namely, the outer edges of the fingers 13.Thus, with comparatively strong magnets, only the outermost blank willbe flexed to its full extent. By bending the ends of the blank in themanner described, the blank will be' supported by the fingers 13 andalso by the at traction of the magnets, and in removing the flexed blankfrom the pile, the same slides over the pole faces of the magnets andalong the restraining fingers 13 at one side, and the pile of blanks atthe opposite side.

Disposed under the blank holder are arcuate tracks 21 in which the endsof the ejected blank travel in dropping upon the blank feed ing deviceor carrier of the can-forming machine A.

The means for ejecting the blanks from the holder comprises a pair ofejectors 22 in the form of reciprocato-ry rods disposed in the plane ofthe lowermost blank and having notches 23 at-the lower ends formingseats for engaging the upper edge of the blank, as'clearly shown in Fig.6. These. rods are connected with slides 2t mounted to move back andforth in guides 25 carried by upstanding brackets 26 on the side members4 of the blank holder. The upper ends of the brackets are provided withalined bearings 2G in which rotates a horizontal shaft 27, the ends ofwhich carry crank disks 27 which connect, respectively, by rods 28, withthe slides 24, so that the rotation of the shaft will reciprocate theslides and raise and lower the ejecting elements 22. The shaft is drivenin any suitable manner, as for instance, by a sprocket chain 29 thatpasses faround a sprocket wheel 30 on the shaft 27 and also around thesprocket wheel 31 on the counter-shaft 32 which is, in turn, actuatedfrom the drive shaft 33 of the machine A, through a sprocket chain 34.The crank disks 27 have cylindrical hubextensions 33 which rotate in thebearings 26, and these hub extensions carry set screws 35 which fas enthe "craiilc'dis'ks to the shafts 27. By loosening these set screws, theside members 4 of the blank holder can be moved inwardly or outwardly,together with the brackets 26 and the ejector operating connectionsbetween the shaft and ejector elements 22. After the blank holder isadjusted to the proper width, the set screws are tightened foroperatively connecting the shaft 27 with the ejecting elements. Theejecting elements are reciprocated to deliver the blanks as fast asthebody-forming ma? chine can handle them, and the magnets are constantlyactive to present the lowermost blank of the pile in cooperativerelation to the ejecting elements- It will thus be seen that the blankscan be effectively segregated from the pile to permit the regular feedof blanks to the forming machine.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of themethod of operation will be readily apparent. to those skilled in theart to which theinvention appertains, and while I have described theprinciple of operation of the invention, together with which I nowconsider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have itunderstood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and thatsuch changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of theclaims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a holder for supporting a pile of blanks held bytheir weight flat against each other in a position normal to thesupporting surface, means acting upon an end portion of the outermostblank to flex such portion while leaving the unfiexed portion oi. thesaid blank bearing .flat against the next adjacent blank ot' the pile,and means independcnt ot the flexing means acting upon the flexedportion of the outermost blank for removing it in'divid ually from thepile.

2. The combination of an inclined holder for supporting a pile of blanksheld by their weight flat against each other in a position normal tosaid holder, means acting upon an end portion of the outermost blank toflex such portion while leaving the unfiexed portion of the outermostblank bearing flat against the next adjacent blank of the pile, saidunfiexed portion being held by the weight of the pile fmm flexing, andmeans acting upon the edge of the flexed portion of the outermost blank,while it is held flexed by the first-mentioned means, to remove itindividually from the pile.

3. The combination of an inclined holder for supporting a pile of blanksby their weight fiat'against each other, a device arranged at thedelivery end of the holder for the apparatus preventing the pile fromdischarging bodily therefrom and for holding the outermost blank inengagement with the next adjacent blank ot' the pile, means acting uponan end portion of the outermost blank to flex such portion out ofcontact with the next adjacent blank while the unflexed portion of theblank is held by said device, and means acting upon the flexed portionof said outermost blank while it is in a flexed poarate portions of thelowermost blank out of contact with the adjacent blank while the restor" the blank remains in contact with the latter, and. an ejector forremoving the flexed blank from the holder.

5. The combination of'an inclined holder supporting a pile of blanks tofeed by gravity, fixed attractive devices supported at the lower end ofthe holder and arranged to flex portions of the lowermost blank out ofcontact with the adjacent blank, and an ejector movable into engagementwith the flexed portions of the blank for sliding the latter downwardlyon the adjacent blank and out of the holder from a position between thelatter and said devices.-

6. The combination of an inclined-holder for a pile of blanks, anabutment arranged at the lower end of the holder for engaging the middleportion of the lowermost blank,

-means for flexing the free extremities of' the lowermost blank, and anejector arranged to engage the flexed-extremities for sliding the saidblank from between and while in contact with both the abutment andremaining pile of blanks. I

7. The combination of an inclined holder for a pile of blanks, anadjustable abutment arranged at the lower end of the holder for engagingthe middle portion of the lowermost blank, means for flexing the freeextremities of the lowermost blank, said abutment being arranged toprevent bodily movement of the lowermost blank from the pile by the saidmeans and to yicldingly hold the unflexcd portion of the flexed blankagainst the adjacent blank toslide thereon during ejection, and anejector arranged to engage the flexed extremities for sliding the saidblank from between the adjustable abutment and remaining pile of blanks.

8. The combination of a holder-for a pile of blanks, an abutment at thedischarge end of the holder arranged to engage the outermost blank,means for flexing a portion of the blank beyond the abutment and fromthe adjacent blank while the rest of the flexed blank remains inengagement with the latter, and an ejector moiable into engagement withthe flexed portion of the blank for re-- moving the latter edgewise frombetween the abutment and remaining pile of blanks.

9. The combination of a holder for a pile of blanks, an abutment at thedischarge end of the holder arranged to engage the outermost blank forretaining the same in position, said abutment comprising membersadjustable toward or away from each other, stationary attractive devicesarranged to flex the portions of the outermost blank beyond the abutmentfrom contact with the adjacent blank while the abutments hold theunfiexed portion of the blank in its original position, and ejectormeans for engaging the flexed portions of the blank to slide the latteronrthe abutment and eject it from the holder. 10. The combination of aholder arranged to support a plurality of blanks side by side,restraining fingers mounted in fixed relation to the'holder andadjustable longitudinally and transversely to engage the outermost blankin the-holder and arranged to extend across the outermost blank toprevent flexing of the middle portion thereof and to form the sole meansfor preventing the pile of blanks from. dropping out of the holder,

devic'esmrranged to flex the extremities of i the outermost blank awayfrom the adjacent blank, and ejecting means arranged to engage-the saidextremities while held in flexed osition for removing the blank from theolder.

11. The combination of a holder for a pile of blanks, an abutmentarranged to engage the outermost blank, means for bending a portion ofthe outermost blank from the holder and out of contact with the adjacentblank while the abutment onone side and the pile of blanks on the otherretain the outermost blank in position, and an ejector movable intoengagement with the flexed portion of the outermost blank for removingthe same from between the abut-ment and remaining pile of blanks, saidabutment being-so related to the holder and blank-flexing means that theunflexed portion of the blank has one face engaged by the abutment andthe other face engaged by the adjacent blank to slide between the latterand abutment.

12. The combination of an inclined holder for a pile of flexiblemetallic blanks, means at the lower end of the holder for engaging aportion only of the lowermost blank to permit the remaining portion orportions to be flexed out of contact with the adjacent blank, magneticmeans for flexing the said portion or portions, both means being fixedand engaging, respectively, the flexed and unflexed portions of theblank and an ejector for engaging the flexed portion or portions of theblank for removing the same from the holder and the sphere of influenceof the magnetic means.

nosaaes 13. The combination of a holder for a pile of blanks arranged topermit the. same to feed by gravity, an abutment'arranged to engage themiddle portion of the lowermost blank, magnets arranged at oppositesides of the abutment to attract the extremities of the lowermost blankout of contact with the adjacent blank while the abutments preventcomplete separation of the blanks, and an ejector for engaging the saidattracted extremities for moving the blank away from the holder andmagnets.

14. The combination of a holder for a pile of blanks mounted to permitthe pile to feed by gravity, restraining fingers movable longitudinallyand transversely of the holder to engage the outermost blank, magne ssupported at the discharge end of the holder for flexing the extremitiesof the outermost blank, and ejecting elements arranged to'simultaneouslyengage the flexed extremities for moving the outermost blank from theholder and magnets.

15. The combination of a holder for a pile of blanks, restrainingfingers arranged to engage the outermost blank, means for adjustablysupporting the fingers for adjustment toward or away from theextremities of the blanks, attractive devices arranged to move theextremitiesof the outermost blank out of contact with the adjacentblank, an ejector comprising members for simultaneously engaging oneedge of the blank at the extremities for removing. the blank frombetween the fingers and remaining pile by movement coincident with theplane of the blank.

1'6. vThe combination of a holder for a pile of blanks, an abutment forengaging the middle portion of the outermost blank, adjustable magnetsarranged to flex the extremities of the blank from the adjacent blank,and means for engaging the flexed extremities for removing the outermostblank from the holder to permit the pile to move forwardly toward theabutment for bring'ng the succeeding outermost blank into the attractiverange of the magnets.

17. The combination of a holder for a pile of blanks, brackets on theholder, restraming fingers, connecting members ad ustably connected withthe brackets and to which the fingers are adjustably connected, saidfingers being arranged to ngage the outer face of the outermost blankand holding it in en- 139;.

portion ofthe outermost blank for sliding said blankfron between theabutment and the remaining pile of blanks and while it'is in contactwith both.

19. In combination with a holder for a pile of blanks, said holderincluding'a bottom support for the blanks and an abutment,

means for flexing both ends of the outermost blank from the nextadjacent blank and freeing said flexed ends from the bottom supportwhile the unflexed portion 'is held by the abutment, and means actingupon thefiexed ends of the outermost blank to remove it individuallyfrom the pile by sliding it from between the abutment and the remainingpile of blanks.

20. The combination of an inclined holder for a pile of blanks, ejectingmembers having seats for engaging one of the edges of the outermostblank at the end thereof, means for moving the ends of the outermostblank into the path of the said elements, and devices located at thedischarge end of the holder adjustable laterally toward'or from the pathof the said elements and inwardly and outwardly with respect to thedischarge end of the holder.

21. The combination of a holder for a pile of blanks mounted in inclinedposition to permit the pile to feed by gravity, an abutment for enga ingthe outermost blank, magnets disposed in front of the outermost blankfor attracting portions thereof away from the adjacent blank, saidabutment be- .ing arranged to hold the pile in the holder and tomaintain the unattracted portion of the outermost blank yieldinglyengaged with the next blank, and ejecting elements arranged to engagethe top edge of the outer most blank while attracted by the magnets formoving the blank downwardly from between the abutment and remainingpiles of the blank.

22. The combination of a holder for a pile of blanks, a fixed devicespaced from the holder and acting on the outermost blank for flexing aportion thereof away from the adjacent blank, a reciprocatory ejectormovable between the holder and device and mounted to engage the flexedportion' of the blank during the first part of its movement and toremove the blank from the holder during the remaining part of itsmovement in one direction, and an operating means for the ejector.

The combination of a holder for a pile of blanks comprising spacedsupporting members adjustable toward and away from each other to varythe width of the holder, means mounted on the members for flexing theends of the outermost blank from the adjacent blank of the pile,separate ejectors arranged to engage the flexed ends of the outermostblank for removing the same from the holder, and a common actuatingmeans for the ejectors.

24. The combination of a holder for a pile of blanks comprising spacedsupporting members adjustable toward and away from each other to varythe width of the holder, means mounted on the members for flexing theends of the outermost blank from the adjacent blank of the pile,separate ejectors arranged to engage the flexed ends of the outermostblank for removing the same from the holder, guides on the members inwhich the-ejectors slide,\ a driving shaft carried by the'members, andoperating connections between the shaft and ejectors for moving the samesimultaneously.

25. The combination of a holder for apile justable toward and away fromeach other,

, an, abutment carried by the holder to engage the middle portion of theoutermost blank, devices on the holder for attracting the extremities ofthe outermost blank to fiex said extremities from the adjacent blank,reciprocatory ejecting elements mounted to engage the flexed ends of theoutermost blank, guides on the holder in which the ejectors reciprocate,a rotary shaft mounted over the holder, and crank and pitman connectionsbetween the shaft and ejectors.

. 26, In combination with a holder for a pile of blanks, said holderincluding a bottom support-for the blanks, means for flexing a portionof the outermost blank from the adjacent blank and freeing it from thebottom support, and means acting upon the flexed portion ofthe blankwhile it is held in its flexed position for driving the flexed blankfrom the holder;

27, In combination with a holder for a pile of blanks, said holderincluding a bottom support for the blanks, means for flexing theoutermost blank from the adjacent blank and freeing it from the bot-tomsupport, and means for di'iving the flexed blank from the holder, saidmeans operating against the top edge of the blank.

I 28. The combination with an i clined holder for supporting a pile ofblanl s held by their weight flat against each other in a positionnormal to said holder, said holder including a bottom support for theblanks and an abutment, means actingupqn the outermost blank for flexing.a portion away from the next adjacent blank of the pile and freeingsaid portion from the bottom ally from the pile by sliding it frombetween the abutment and the remaining pile of blanks, said means actingupon the flexed portion of the-blank.

29. In combination with a holder for a pile of blanks, said holderincluding a bottom support and an abutment for the blanks, means forflexing the ends of the outermost blank fromthe adjacent blank andfreeing it from the bottom support but allowing the intermediate portionof the flexed blank to be held in contact withthe said adjacent blank,and means for driving the flexed blank from the holder, said meansoperating against the flexed ends of the blank simultaneously at eachside of the abutment. I

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses WALTER J. PHELPS.Witnesses:

JOHN H. Sroonns, E. G. SIGrmns.

Copies of this patent may be obtainedior five cents each, by'addressingthe "Commissioner of Iatenta, Washington, D. 0.. A

